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Dec. 5, 1939. 'F. L, FULLER CASH REGISTER Filed March 24, 1938 3- Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 1o..

ACME STORES EAST ORANGE, NLJ'. um: mouvrr FEB.|6l B1* 7. 77

ATTORN E`Y Dec. 5, 1939. F. n.. FULLER 2,181,990

4CASH REGISTER Filed March 24, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 152 95 'y l53 93 est* 196 98 I 87 m. 97 88 49 w3 1 :7: I inf. l: I l Iailihwhn! Il 97 u Ml 5| :12Min I ,26 9.4 |47 u0145 A ,59. 39 '5 1o 106 '55 m v Y f 141 "0 v 99 79 83 EL no 2 as '43 m @u 2,0 "am,

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INVNTOR AiToRNEY F. L. FULLER CASH REGISTER Dec. 5, 1939.

Filed March' 24, 1 938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 75 MNE?? ATTORNEY .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CASH REGISTER Frederick L. Fuller, West Orange, N. J., assigner to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New This invention relates to printing mechanisms York Appllcatidn March 24, 1938, Serial No. 197,818

4 Claims.

and more particularly to sales and check printing mechanisms provided for cash registers.

Machines of the above type have, heretofore, been provided with check printing mechanisms for issuing a check and for printing thereon data related to the cash register transaction.

chines of the above type have also been provided with means for printing upon an inserted sales slip in lieu of an issued check.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of check and sales slip printing mechanism for cash registers.

In one form of check issuing and printing mechanism an electroprinting roller has been utilized for printing a back-ground impression on a check, and for printing the data from date printing wheels carried by the electro-roller.

When an impression is to be effected upon a sales slip it is desirable to prevent the impression by the electro-roller and also from the date One manner of attaining this printing wheels.

object was to carry the electro-roller eccentrically and rotating it eccentrically when slip printing operations are selected to prevent contact of the electro-roller with an associated platen roller. The driving connections from the electro-roller and the platen roller were, nevertheless, retained,

so that a considerable amount of power was expended in uselessly driving the electro-roller and platen roller in slip printing operations.

The main object of the present invention is to devise a selectively operated connection for the electro and platen rollers from the driving mechanism of the machine which is disabled during slip printing operations, thereby decreasing the load on the machine for such printing operations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide two impression platens, one of which is operable for each check and slip printing operation for taking an impression from the amount, transaction, and clerks character printing wheels upon a check or sales slip, and a separable operable platen for taking an impression from data printing Wheels upon the issued check only.

A still further object of the present invention is to devise a means for operating the data printing platen by the same means that causes the rotation of the electro and platen rollers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a slip key, which is depressed prior to an operation of the machine, controlling means to prevent the operation of the check feeding and date printing means when an impression is effected upon a sales slip.

(Cl. 10l-93) A still further object of the present invention is to devise a clamp firmly clamping the check strip and suspending the effectivity of the clamp during check feeding operations.

While the invention has been shown in con- 5 nection with a cash register the improvements may, separately or collectively, be utilized in connection with other types of machines, and it is not the intention to be limited by the showing made, as the present disclosure of the present invention is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive.

Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of construction or operation or novel combination of parts present in the embodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings Whether Within or without the scope of the appended claims and irrespective of other specific statements as to the scope of the invention contained herein.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of the cash register to which the present improvements are preferably applied and shows in detail the controlling keys for the dimes bank and the associated differential mechanism;

Fig. 1a is an illustration of a printed check;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially in section, and shows in detail the differentially rockable frames for the several sets of controlling keys and the cross over connections for operating the differentially actuatable segments;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a tube line showing the sleeve connections between operating gears and the related type printing wheels;

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the improved form of sales and check printing mechanism;

Fig.- 5 is a sectional view of the improved form of sales and check printing mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a detail view vof a one Way clutch device for causing the rotation of check feeding rollers by the reciprocable operating mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of an operating cam which controls the movement of the check paper strip clamping device;

Fig. 8 is a detail of a driving segment operable upon check feeding operations.

Manipulative entry control devices lars, numeral Il in Fig. 1 designating the group of keys for entering dimes.

In addition to these keys there may be provided keys designated Cash," a key designated Paid out, a key designated Recd on acct, a key designated No sale and a key designated "Chgef This latter group of keys comprises the transaction control keys. l

For the selective entry of amounts according to a clerks classification, as explained in the patent application above referred to. there may be provided an "A clerks key and a/fB clerks key.

'Ihe keys of the groups of amount keys are depressed according to the amount to be entered, the clerks keys according to which clerk enters the amount and the transaction keys according to the type of transaction, as is well known and understood.

Each of the keys selected for operation is manually depressed prior to an operation of the machine which is effected by a transverse operating bar 20, and a key is locked in its depressed position by a construction now to be explained in detail for the group of dimes keys I I, although it is to be understood that a similar construction is utilized for the other groups of keys.

Suitably attached to the side frames of the machine is a transverse cover plate 28 for the groups of keys. The key caps are mounted outside of the plate 24 to provide for a convenient manual manipulation. The stem of each key passes through a related slot in the cover plate 24 and is further guided by a slot 25 in a U- shaped plate 23. With the exception of the center key of a single line of keys from bottom to top the key stem is also guided by slots 26 and 21 in the U-shaped plate 23. Each key is held in its normal outward position by arelated spring 28 but when a key is depressed inwardly a notch 29 thereof is caught by a detent plate 30 of the respective bank of keys. Each detent plate is carried by a pair of arms 3l, pivotally mounted at 33 to projecting ears of the U-shaped plate 23.

The detent plate 30 is so constructed that it vis of the flexible type, i. e., an erroneously depressed key may be released by merely depressing another key in the same group. It is further understood that there is a detent plate 30 for each group of keys.

Key releasing devices It is, of course, necessary to release the depressed keys after an operation of the machine and to this end as best shown in Fig. 1 each detent plate 38 has secured thereto a bracket plate 34 to which is pivoted at 3'6 a spring urged pawl 35. A coil spring 31 urges the pawl 35 counterclockwise so that a curved portion 38 normally hooks under a right angled bar 39 which is part o1` the main operating member. During the initial depression of bar 39 the pawl 35 will be rocked clockwise idly until the curved portion 38 is free of the bar 39 whereupon the spring 31 will cause the pawl 35 to take a position with the curved portion 38 now over the /bar 39. When the bar 39 has been fully depressed and then returned the bar 39 will in its elevation strike the pawl 35 elevating the pawl 35 since the line of force acts through the center of the pivot 36. This will cause the rocking of the detent plate 38 about its pivot disengaging the same from the notch 29 of the depressed key releasing it for its return to normal by its spring Main operating bar The main operating bar previously referred to comprises a pair of arms 53 loosely pivoted on a stationary rod 55 and between which arms is carried the bars 20 and 39. The bar 28 is exterior of the cabinet, as is shown in Fig. l, and is depressed manually, the arms 53 rocking about the rod 55 and against the action of a return spring 56.

Di'erential mechanism As is best shown in Fig. 1 pivoted at 36 to a keystem is a related key cam 61 having a 'coupling notch 68 engageable with a coupling bar '69 when the associated key is depressed. The coupling bar 69 is part of the operating member and is carried by rearward extensions of the arms 53. Each group of keys has a related series of key cams 61 so that a selected one may be coupled to the coupling bar 69 and rocked individually counterclockwise by the depression of the operating member 20.

Each key cam 61 is guided at its rearmost end by slots 18 in a stationary guide plate 1I and when the selected key cam 61 has been rocked to its extreme position by the bar 69 a notch 12 thereof will be received by a rod 13. The key cams '61 normally rest upon the shaft 55.

When a selected key cam 61 is shifted rearwardly and held in shifted position by virtue of the locking of the related .depressed key a dwell or entrance 14 of a cam slot 15 will register with a rod 16 of a differentially rockable frame. Fig. l shows the construction of the cam slots 15 of the key cams 61 for the dimes group in which it will be observed that the cam slots 15 are graded so that the rod 16 may be rocked differentially when a key cam 61 is rocked and commensurate with the digital representation of the key depressed. It is obvious that only the particular key cam 61 selected will be actuated, the others of the same group remaining in normal position.

. As is best shown in Fig. 1 the rod 18 for the dimes group is carried by a U-shaped frame 11 loosely mounted on a shaft 18. Attached to a side arm of the frame 11 is a tens entering segment 19. The rod for the cam plates 61 of the cents group is carried by a U-shaped frame 8| loosely mounted on the shaft 18 and to the frame 8| there is connected a bail 82 to which is attached the units entering segment 83. The rod 84 for the dollars group is carried by a U- shaped frame 85 loosely mounted on shaft 18 and to said frame there is secured a dollars entering segment 86.

Check and sales slip printing mechanism innfter. when differentially set. an imprint is 'taken on a check from the group of type wheels set under control of the segments 10, 83 and 86 a printing gear wheel 85 having -thereon printing-A characters representing the transaction key depressed.

It is also desirable to set a type wheel to identify the clerk entering the amount. The clerks character printing wheel 80 (Fig. 3) is normally set to print the letter B but may be rocked under control of the A clerks key to set the Acharacter to printing position. This is effected by means now to be described. The clerks char- .acter type wheel 96 is secured to the shaft 81 which carries the connecting sleeves and the different type wheels. To the shaft 01 there is secured a pinion 98 (Fig. 4) meshing with a segment 30 (Fig. 4) attached to the shaft 18 (see Fig; 2). The frame |00 which is rocked only by the A" clerks key is also secured to the shaft 18.

The check printing mechanism is also provided with date printing wheels comprising a month printing wheel |0|, .and two day printing wheels |02 which are manually settable by knurled sleeves |03 (seeFig. 4) positioned exterior of the side plate |04 of the cabinet.

The means for effecting printing impressions from the various type wheels comprises a rubber impression block |05 for taking printing impressions from the three amount printing type wheels 85, the transaction printing type wheel 05 and the clerks printing type wheel 36 upon either an issued check or inserted sales slip and a supplemental rubber impression block |06 for taking an impression from the date printing wheels and |02 upon the issued check only. l

Each rubber impression block is carried by slidably guided spaced parallel side plates |01 between which is carried a roller |08 cooperating with a proilie cam. 'I'he profile cam 209 carried by a reciprocating shaft ||0 operates the impression block |06 while a profile cam 2|0 attached to a sleeve 2|| loose on the shaft ||0 operates the impression block |05.

As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5 one of the arms 53 has an extension to which is pivoted at ||2 a link ||3 which is pivotally connected by a stud ||4 to a segment ||5 loosely mounted upon the shaft 18. The teeth of the segment are in continuous engagement with a gear ||1 secured to the sleeve 2| I. It is obvious that when the main operating bar is depressed the link |3 will be elevated so as to rock the segment ||5 in a clockwise direction thereby turning the gear ||1, sleeve 2| I, and cam 2|0 in a counterclockwise direction. 'When the operating bar 20 is restored, the segment ||5 will be rocked in a counterclockwise direction and the shaft ||0 in a clockwise direction. During the initial clockwise rotation of the cam 2|0, the cam portion ||8 thereof will strike the related roller |08 thereby raising the related rubber impression block |05 to take an impression from the set of amount printing type wheels and the clerks and transaction printing type wheels. The cam 2|0 operating the rubber impression block |05 is secured to the 3 shaft ||0 in such a position that the high portion ||8 thereof will elevate the rubber impression block |05 after the transaction, amount, and

clerks printing type wheels have been set to` predetermined positions. A spring 2|2 (Fig. 5)

. is provided to return the impression block |05 to its normal position.

The printing impressions from all of the sets of type may be effected upona check strip and rom all of the type except the date printing wheels on an inserted slip, depending upon the form of receipt desired.

For printing upon the check paper, there is provided a supply roll ||9 of check paper, the check paper strip |20 being drawn from the supply roll and passes under a roller |2| (Fig. 5), around a guide plate |22, between guide plates |23 and |24 which are apertured so that each' impression block |05 and |06 may pass through the aperture to effect a printing impression from the type wheels, the check paper strip thereafter passing between a feed roller |25 and an electroprinting roller |26, thence, over a resilient plate |21 and under a plate |28, the' end of the strip passing through an aperture |29 of the upper plate |28. The edge |30 of the upper plate |28 is serrated so as to provide a suitable tearing edge for the portion of the check paper which has been fed during the check feeding operation.

For inking the sets of type, there is provided an inking ribbon |3| which passes from a supply roll |32 to a storage roll |33 and the inking ribbon |3| is so located that it passes directly beneath all of the sets of printing type so as to ink them. Any suitable means may be provided for feeding the inking ribbon |3| step by step so as to present successive portions of the inking ribbon |3| to the typeas the successive impressions are effected. Such means are well known in the art and for this reason are not described herein since they form no part of the present invention.

It is desirable to feed the check paper a predetermined amount for each check printing operation and to carry out the above function there is loosely mounted upon the shaft 18 a segment |34 to which is pivoted at |35 a spring urged catch |36 normally catching over a lug |31 carried by the segment |5 and the above described connection between the segments ||5 and |34 comprising the catch |36 is retained during check feeding operations 'so that the segment |34 is rocked clockwise simultaneously with the rocking of the segment ||5. Segment teeth |38 of the segment |34 are in continuous mesh with a pinion 2|3 (Fig. 8) secured to the shaft I0 to which, it will be recalled, is secured the cam 209 for operating the impression block |06 to take an impression from the date printing wheels upon the check strip. The manner in which the printing impressions are effected is similar to that previously described.

The segment teeth |38 of the segment |34 are also in continuous mesh with a pinion |39 to which is attached a plate |40 (see Fig. 6) both of which are loosely mounted upon a shaft |4|. Pivoted upon the plate |40 by a stud |42 is a spring urged clutch pawl |43 having a. wedgeshaped clutch tooth |44 engaging a similar shaped recess of a clutch disk |45 secured to the shaft |4|.

The teeth |38 of the segment |34 are so proportioned as to rock the plate |40 and the clutch pawl |43 in a counterclockwise direction during the clockwise positioning of the segment |34, the/ clutch pawl |43 idly passing over the cam |45 until the clutch pawl lagain occupies the position shown in Fig. 6. Thereafter,v by the reversal of the segment |34 the segment teeth |38 will rotate the pinion |39, the plate |40 and clutch pawl i |43 in a clockwise direction. By the engagement of the clutch pawl- |43 with the clutch disk |45, the shaft |4| will be rotated in a clockwise direction. To the shaft 4|, as best shown in Fig. 5, there is secured a gear |46 meshing with a pinion |41 attached to a. shaft |48. The pinion |41 meshes with a pinion. |49 secured to the electrofeeding roller |26 and cooperating with the latter is the feeding roller |25 which is attached to the shaft |48.

The electroroller |26 is provided with a attened portion |50 providing a recess between ks'aid attened portion and the periphery of the feed roller |25 so as to permit the free insertion of the check strip and a sales slip which is positioned over the check strip. By means of the clutch connection previously described the restoration of the segment |34 will cause the clockwise rotation of the shaft 4| and through the pinions |41 and |49 rotate the electroroller |26 in a clockwise direction, the feed roller |25 rotating simultaneously in a counterclockwise direction. When the electrofeeding roller |26 is rotated clockwise a slight amount, the periphery thereof will engage with the periphery of the feed roller |25 to thereby feed the cheek strip |20, drawing it from the supply roll ||9 and feeding it a certain amount so that it is fed through the apertureA |29 of the plate |28. The portion of the check strip which is fed is manually detached from the rest of the strip by means of the serrated edge |30 of the plate |28.

The electrofeeding roller |26 is provided with an electroplate so that it will not only feed the check strip but also provide a suitable background impression upon the check paper as shown in Fig. la. The legends and identifying data printed by this electroplate may of course be varied for the different types of business and other commercial requirements.

The electroplate is inked by means of a felt roller |5| (Fig. 4) which is carried by a pair of arms |52 and |53 and urged by a suitable spring so that it continuously contacts with the electroplate. The felt roller |5| is, of course, saturated with ink.

It is desirable to provide means to firmly hold the check paper and to provide means to disable the holding means so that the check paper strip may be fed in the manner previously described.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the lower plate |21 is fixed at |54 but the free end of the plate is urged downwardly by the resiliency of the plate. Underlying said plate |21 there is loosely mounted on a stud |55 a yoke shaped frame |56 the cross piece of which underlies the resilient plate |21. The yoke shaped frame |56 is loose on the shaft |55 and one of the side arms of the yoke shaped frame has an integral extension |51 to which is connected a spring |58 thereby urging the yoke shaped frame |56 and the plate |21 upwardly so that the end of the check strip is firmly held between the plates |21 and |28. Loosely mounted upon the'shaft |55 is an arm |59 which is urged by a spring |60 so that the extremity coacts as shown in Fig. '7 with a profile cam |6| secured to the shaft |4|. At the initial rotation of the shaft |4|, which is effected to cause the check feeding operations, the clockwise rotation of the cam |6| will cam the arm |59 so that a spring securing stud |19 carried thereby will cooperate with and rock the arm. |51 thereby causing the yoke shaped frame |56 to be rocked in tained during the check strip feeding operation and at the termination of the latter, the parts will 'again occupy the position shown in Fig. I5 with the yoke shaped frame |56 rmly holding the plate 21 against the upper plate |28 to rmly hold the check strip so that the ejected portion may be manually torn ofi by means of the serrated edge |30.

It is desirable to print upon an inserted slip and to cause check strip feeding operations to be suspended or prevented so as to prevent the useless feeding of the check strip and, furthermore, to stop the rotation of the electroroller |26, the feed roller |25 and the associated driving mechanism.

To this end, the machine is provided with a slidably mounted depressible slip key |62 which is depressed by the operator prior to an operation of the operating bar 20. The key cap of the key |20 is positioned exterior of the machine so that it may be manually depressed similar to the amount controlling keys hereinbefore referred to.

Slip key |62 is provided with an operating extension |63 which is in the plane of a lug |64 of the catch |36 so that when the slip key is depressed the extension |63 in engagement with the lug |64 will rock the catch |36 so as to disengage it from the lug |31. Pivotally mounted at |65 is a latch member '|66 which, when the slip key |62 is depressed, will engage a shoulder |61 of the slip key |62 to thereby hold the same in depressed position to maintain the catch |36 in rocked position fully'disengaged from the lug |31.

It is obvious, therefore, that when the segment ||5 is rocked clockwise by an operation of the operating bar 20 segment |34 will not be rocked thereby preventing the operation of the latter and the mechanism driven thereby which causes the operation of the check feeding rollers and the operation of the impression block |06. The shaft will, nevertheless, be rocked in the manner previously described so that only the platen will effect printing 'impressions of the amount, the transaction and clerks character upon the sales slip which is inserted between the plates |23 and |24 (Fig. 5). Of course, the date will not be printed upon the inserted slip, as sales slips usually carry this data.

The latch |36 has -a depending integral extension |68 which is in the plane of the connecting stud ||4 and the latter is effective during the time it is elevated to coact with the extension |68 and rock the latch |66 so as to release the slip key |62 and the latter is thereupon urged upwardly to its normal position by means of a spring |69.

While there has been shown and described and indicated bythe scope of the following claims. I"

What is claimed is:

1. In a cash register the combination with' a set of amount printing elements, of a platen for printing from said set of elements, a reciprocable main operating mechanism for said cash register, an electroprinting roller and cooperating platen roller for printing and issuing a check, a segment reciprocated by said main operating mechanism, a one-Way clutch driving means intermediate said segment and said electro roller an'd platen roller, means for selectively coupling said clutch driving means with said segment, and means operated by said segment for operating said platen to effect an impression from the amount printing elements on the issued check.

2. In a cash register the combination with a set of amount printing elements, of a platen therefor, a reciprocable main operating mechanism for said cash register, an electro-printing roller and a cooperating platen roller for printing and issuing a check, means operated by said reciprocable main operating mechanism for operating said platen to eiect an impression upon an inserted slip or said issued check, a reciprocable segment, means for selectively coupling said segment to said reciprocable main operating mechanism, a one way clutch driving means intermediate said electroroller and platen roller and said segment, a slip key, and means carried thereby for operating said coupling means to effect upon an operation of the key the disconnection of said segment from said main operating mechanism.

3. In a cash register, the combination with a set of amount printing elements, of a platen therefor, a reciprocable main operating mechanism for said cash register, an electro-printing roller and a cooperating platen roller for printing and issuing a check, a reciprocable segment operated by said main operating mechanism for operating said platen to print on said check or inserted slip, a supplemental segment, a one way clutch driving means intermediate said electro-printing roller and platen roller and said supplemental segment, a spring urged catch member carried by one of said segments and engageable with the other segment for selectively connecting said segments, and means comprising a slip key for controlling the position of said catch member to selectively connect said segments in accordance with the selective operation of the slip key.

4. In a cash register, the combination with a set of amount printing elements, of a platen therefor, a reciprocable main operating mechanism for said cash register, an electroprinting roller and a. cooperating platen roller for printing and issuing a, check, a reciprocable segment operated by said main operating mechanism for operating said platen to print on said check or inserted slip, a supplemental segment, a one way clutch driving means intermediate said electroprinting roller and platen roller and said supplemental segment, a spring urged catch member carried by one of said segments and engageable with the other segment for selectively connecting said segments, a slip key, means carried by said slip key to eiect by the operation of said key the movement of said catch member to disconnect said segments, means for latching said key in operated position, and means operated by said main operating mechanism for shifting said latching means to release said slip key. FREDERICK L. FULLER. 

